From ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects comes the cleverly-named Magic Carp-pet, a fuzzy little rug image of carp that appear to swim when viewed through a special glass coffee table.

The idea behind the Magic Carp-pet came from several sources, the first of which was to call attention to our most quickly dwindling and precious resource - water. Fish tanks are quickly going the way of the dinosaur as people seek new and interesting set pieces to discuss when they are entertaining and attempting to be ecologically conscious. In addition, it seems the designers simply couldn't pass up the chance to use the carp - traditionally symbolizing bravery and fortune - on a piece of CARPet for the great and obvious joke. Cheers, all around!

Looking at the carpet itself, there is a bit of a "that's weird" vibe mixed with a "somewhat creepy" tone in the background, but it's once the coffee table of the Magic Carp-pet set comes into play that the magic happens.

The swimming carp effect on the floor is caused by what is known as the "Morie Effect", which refers to the interference pattern created when two grids are overlaid at an angle or have slightly different mesh sizes. It is this grid interaction that causes the apparent swimming movement of the carp underneath the glass coffee table.

At this point, we've got to point out that while the design is neat, there are a few caveats here. First, the table doesn't cover the whole rug, so you're going to have a few - grid-y carp, shall we say - floating around without the benefit of movement. Secondly, the table only works if the viewer is moving. Looking down at the Magic Carp-pet from above will make it seem that the fish are more robust and less jagged, but movement on the part of the observer is required for carpet fish motion.

Nonetheless, congratulations ClarkeHopkinsClarke, not only on your strange firm name, but on a unique piece of design that would surely be the catch of the day for any ecologically intrigued homeowner.

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